Vietnam
Submit your visa application for France in Vietnam
Visa applications for France submitted in Vietnam are processed by the Embassy of France in Hanoi and the Consulate-General of France in Ho Chi Minh City, the only ones authorized to make decisions on visas.
Applicants must lodge a complete file (originals + copies) in one of the two TLS Contact centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, by appointment only.
Before submitting your application, please read the 5 important steps of a visa application.
When to make an appointment? As soon as you know your travel dates, depending on the category of visa and the planned date of arrival in France:
- Short-stay visa (less than 90 days): between 3 weeks and 6 months before the trip;
- Long-stay visa (more than 3 months): between 3 weeks and 3 months before the trip.
Where to make an appointment? You can submit your application in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, regardless your place of residence in Vietnam.
What are the processing times? Processing times are on average three weeks for short-stay visas and up to two months for long-stay visas.
The processing time for a visa application is given for as a guidance only and may be extended if additional supporting documents or verification are required.
Please, do note that there is no expedited procedure to reduce delays.
WARNING: applications submitted less than 15 days before the planned date of your trip may be considered inadmissible. If applicable, attach an cover letter, as well as any document justifying this late submission.
What supporting documents to bring for the appointment? To find out the list of necessary supporting documents, use the visa wizard.
Please, present originals of all necessary and supporting documents, as well as a copy of each original which will be kept on the day of your appointment (only originals if you are applying for a student visa and have already scanned documents during the submission online).
BEWARE of fraudulent agencies: visa applicants are advised to be cautious if you are dealing with companies that claim to offer assistance in obtaining French visas, especially with regard to the genuineness of the documents attached in the application.
TLScontact Centre in Hanoi
Contact details
Pacific Place Building,
8th floor,
83B Lý Thường Kiệt, Cửa Nam,
Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Viêtnam
Call center
+84(0) 24 39 39 26 62
Website
Submitting applications
(Appointment only)
| Monday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 08:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Premium) |
| Sunday | Closed |
Collecting passports
(Without appointment)
| Monday | 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Thursday | 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Friday | 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Premium) |
| Sunday | Closed |
TLS Contact centre in Ho Chi Minh-city
Contact details
72 Le Thanh Ton and 45A Ly Tu Trong,
Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
L08 - étage 14, "Offices",
Vincom Dong Khoi Building
700 000 Ho Chi Minh-city
Vietnam
Call center
+84(0) 24 39 39 26 62
Website
Submitting applications
(Appointment only)
Standard hours (without additional fee) :
| Monday to Friday : | 08:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | 01:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Prime time appointment and Weekend (additional fees apply) :
| Monday to Friday : | 07:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. | 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. | 04:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| Saturday : | 08:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | 01:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Sunday : | Closed |
Collecting passports
(Appointment not required)
| Monday to Friday : | 08:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| Saturday : | 08:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
| Sunday : | Closed |
Photos: make sure that your ID photo comply with ICAO standards, and in particular that they are not altered by image editing software. Inadequate or non-resembling ID photos will result in the application being inadmissible.
Only visa applicants are allowed to enter TLS Contact centers. Additionally, legal representatives of minors, travel agency representatives or people requiring specific assistance (particularly disabled) are authorized to accompany applicants in need.
Anyone wishing to enter one of the TLS Contact centers is subject to security checks. Any object considered to be a weapon or representing a danger will not be admitted on the premises.
Only applicants legally living in Vietnam can lodge their application to TLS Contact Vietnam. If you are passing through and encounter a compelling reason requiring you to submit a visa to France in Vietnam, please attach a detailed letter of explanation as well as any useful supporting documents.
The Embassy of France in Hanoi and the Consulate-General of France in Ho Chi Minh City are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
TLS Contact is closed on Sundays.
Public holidays in 2024:
- Wednesday December 25th: Christmas
Public holidays in 2025:
- Wednesday January 1st: New Year's Day
- From Monday January 27th to Friday January 31st: Tet Festival
- Monday April 7th: Hung Kings Day
- Wednesday April 30th: Victory Day
- Thursday May 1st and Friday May 2nd: Labor Days
- Monday September 1st and Tuesday September 2nd: Vietnamese National Day
- Thursday December 25th: Christmas
How do I track my visa application? Once you have lodged your visa application, you will be able to follow its progress on the TLS Contact website.
How do I get my passport back? As soon as your application will have been processed, you will receive a notification informing you that your passport is available for collection at TLS Contact center.
Can I authorize a third party to collect the passport on my behalf? Yes, you can appoint a proxy not later than the day of the submission of the visa application. On the day of withdrawal, the proxy must present:
- A letter of authorization signed by the applicant (or legal representative if minor), mentioning names and identity document numbers (power of attorney model available on the TLS CONTACT website);
- TLS Contact receipt;
- Original photo ID (passport, ID card, driving license) and copy.
ATTENTION: for organizational and security reasons, the change of proxy will not be authorized during the processing time of the visa application. Please, ensure the availability of your proxy prior to apply.
Particular situations
Holders of a Vietnamese diplomatic passport are exempt from short-stay visas for mainland France and French overseas territories. However, a visa is required if the length of the stay exceeds 3 months.
Holders of a service passport must apply for a visa regardless of the length of the stay.
Diplomatic and service passport holders are exempt from visa fees and service fees.
Malta and Estonia as a main destination: pursuant to a representation agreement between Schengen area member states in Vietnam, short-stay visa applications can be submitted to the French consular authorities in Vietnam. The submission procedures are the same as for a short-stay Schengen visa for France.
Caution: Vietnamese Nationals applying for a student visa for Malta must submit their application to the nearest Maltese representation in Beijing or Shanghai. For more information: https://www.vfsglobal.cn/Malta/China/#2
Monaco: France represents Monaco for both short and long-stay visa applications. Please, do note that the long-stay visa for Monaco requires a specific procedure with approval from the Monegasque authorities. Consequently, it is recommended to anticipate delays which may be longer than 2 months.
I want to study in France, how do I apply for a visa?
Before applying for a student visa, you have to contact Campus France in Vietnam to begin the "Studies in France" procedure.
We strongly recommend that you submit the visa application as soon as you receive the notification of authorization to submit sent by Campus France. Caution: submitting your application before receiving notification from Campus France may however result in a processing delay.
Students are entitled to discounted visa fees and easy access for submitting their visa application to TLS Contact. Student visa applications are processed as a priority (around 2 weeks) by the visa service.
I am under 18 years old at the time of my student visa application, which visa should I apply for?
Minor students must submit a long-stay "school minor" visa, accompanied by parental authorization, the commitment of a host family in France and a guarantee of financial support. Health and civil liability insurance are also mandatory.
This category of visa does not require any action upon arrival in France.
If the visa expires during the student's minority, you will have to apply for a new similar category of visa in Vietnam. But if you reach 18 years old within the validity period of the visa, a residence permit must be submitted within 2 months following your majority in your local Prefecture.
Special case: when the student reaches the age of majority during the processing of the visa application, the category of visa will be reclassified directly by the visa section as a "student" long-stay visa. In this case, only parental authorizations will be required to submit the visa application.
I hold a long-stay student visa, do I have any other steps to take upon arrival in France?
As soon as you arrive in France, you must register and validate your visa online on the following webpage: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. This easy and quick process will ensure that you are registered as a legal resident in France and, if applicable, will allow you to extend your stay.
I am a student in France, I applied for a residence permit from the Prefecture, but I am currently in Vietnam. What steps must I take to be authorized to return to France?
- If you hold a favorable decision issued by your local Prefecture allowing you to travel with your previous residence permit, you do not have to take any particular action;
- If the favorable decision issued by your local Prefecture has expired, you are still waiting for the residence permit and you are passing through Vietnam, you must contact your local Prefecture in order to issue you a new favorable decision, or inform you about another procedure to follow (e.g. return visa – please, check the procedure described below);
- If you hold a receipt for your first application for a residence permit, you must apply for a return visa (please, check the procedure described below).
The return visa to France is a long-stay visa, issued exceptionally to foreigners usually residing in France and whose residence permit is lost, stolen or under renewal process by the prefecture.
The issuance of this type of visa is subject to authorization from the local prefecture, which results in an additional processing time.
In addition to the usual required documents (form, passport, photo), you will need to provide a detailed letter explaining the reasons for requesting a return visa, a proof of your residence in France (utility bill, university registration, etc.), where applicable the declaration of loss/theft issued by the Vietnamese authorities and if applicable a valid receipt for the first application for a residence permit.
I am a French National residing in France and I have just adopted a child in Vietnam following the international MAI procedure, where to submit the application for a long-stay "adoption" visa?
The long-stay "adoption" visa application must be lodged directly to the French Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate General of France in Ho Chi Minh City. For international adoption via MAI (Mission de l'Adoption Internationale) procedure, a specific rate is applied and the application is processed as quickly as possible. Please contact your OAA to request an appointment and submission procedures.
As part of an adoption outside the MAI procedure for French residents in Vietnam, which visa should I apply for?
Resettlement in France: you should apply for a long-stay visa "Family settlement (minor child) – Minor child of French National" and lodge the application to TLS Contact. Proof of the opposability of the adoption judgment must be provided. If the procedure for verifying the regularity of this decision has not been completed, you can submit an application for a long-stay "visitor" visa, provided that nothing prevents the child from leaving Vietnamese territory ( final judgment and not subject to appeal). Please note that the long-stay visitor visa does not allow you to benefit from family allowances once settled in France.
Short-stay in France: residents in Vietnam who wants to travel in France for less than 90 days can request a short-stay "private/family visit" visa by adding to the visa application with the usual documents for this visa category, the final adoption judgment issued by the local authorities.
Having a parent married with a French National does not confer any specific rights for a non-French child born from a previous union.
The settlement of the minor child in France is subject to the family reunification long-stay visa procedure. This process must be first submitted in your local OFII (Immigration and Integration French Office).
This procedure can only be initiated after the foreign parent has lived in France for at least 18 months. The family reunification procedure is the only one allowing you to benefit from family allowance. For more information, please check this link.
Fees
Fees for submitting your visa application consist of:
- The application fees (pdf) are collected by the French administration for processing your visa application. The amount collected is kept by the administration, even if the visa has been refused.
- Service fees collected by TLS Contact for submitting your request, i.e. €25 per application submitted. Please note that these fees are not refundable after the biometric data collection.
Payment of all these fees is made at the TLS Contact Visa Application Center when submitting your application, and are collected in local currency (Vietnamese Dong - VND) converted at the chancery rate in effect on the date of submission (Website in French language only). It can be paid by cash, credit/debit card or bank transfer.
Optional paid services are also available by TLS Contact (photocopies, photo booth, passport delivery by post, Premium service).
Help
Please, check the FAQ which includes practical informations regarding your France-Visas account management, the submission of a visa application, the trip to France,…
If you need a specific assistance, TLS Contact is at your service by phone or by email:
- Helpline: +84 (0) 24 3939 2662 (Monday to Friday : 8am-5pm / Saturday : 8am-12pm)
- Email ID: section "Contact Us » on TLS Contact website
The visas office of the French Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate-general of France in Ho Chi Minh-city also answers requests by email. A quick reply will be given to your query, but only if the information you are looking for is not included in the France-Visas website. While waiting, please do not repeat your message and do not call the French Embassy nor the French consulate.